Traction means for railway cars



Sept. 16, 1958 Filed May 1. 1953 W. R. WALTERS TRACTION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 16, 1958 w R WALTERS 2,851,962

TRACTION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 W R WALTERS TRACTION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS F 'iled May 1. 1953 Sept. 16, 1958 w; WALTERS TRACTION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 1. 1953 five/12%!" yam/E 7am Sept. 16, 1958 w. R. WALTERS TRACTION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 1. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 limited States Patent P 2,851,962 TRACTION MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS William R. Walters, Cos Cob, Corm. Application May 1, 1953, Serial No. 352,501 6 Claims. (Cl. 105--28) This invention relates to improvements in traction means for railway cars and it Consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is especially concerned with a traction means for use in so called work cars, of which cars designed for ballast conditioning operations are good examples. Such cars include a car body and underframe, the latter being mounted by means of suitable center and side bearings upon trucks in each of which wheeled axles are journalled. When such a car is taking a curve, tangent or switch in a railway track, there is a turning movement of the trucks about the center bearings relative to the underframe and the car body supported thereby.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide in connection with a car structure of the kind mentioned, simple, efiicient and powerful traction means for the car which includes a power plant and transmission for driving the axles of at least one of the trucks either at a traveling" speed in forward or reverse or at a number of working speeds in forward or reverse, as the numeous and varied working conditions require.

Anothed object of the invention is to provide a means of this kind wherein the power plant or generating means and associated transmission are so mounted on the framing as to turn with the trucks when they turn about their center bearing connection with the underframe.

Also it is an object of the invention to provide a means of this kind which predominately employs sprockets and link and roller chains associated therewith so that repairs and replacements may be easily made at the place of operation of the car, thus avoiding long delays between operations, as would be necessary should such means predominately comprise gearing, electrical drives and the like.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a means of this kind which includes a number of power plants from which motive force is derived so that any one of the plants may be caused to function through the transmission in propelling the car, and whereby should a power failure occur in one plant, another is available for immediate use, thereby avoiding any loss in operating time due to failure of the power plant before mentioned.

Again it is an object of the invention to provide in a means of this kind, a novel mounting of the power plant and the transmission upon a turn table like support on the framing and which support is so connected to the truck below the same as to turn therewith as the track condition may require.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, along with the several advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of one end of a railway car provided with a power generating and transmission unit embodying the preferred form of the inventn.

2,851,962 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the structure appearing in Fig. l as taken on the line 2--2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View through the structure appearing in Fig. l as taken on the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is another horizontal sectional view through the structure appearing in Fig. 1 as taken on the line 4-4 thereof.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical detail sectional View as taken on the line 55 and on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation of parts appearing in, but on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 1, and with certain of said parts in a changed position and which will be described in more detail later on.

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are detail vertical sectional views through parts of the power transmission portions of the unit as taken on the lines 77, 8-8, 9-9 and 1010 respectively of Fig. 2.

In general the improved traction means is employed in connection with the running gear of a railway car, the underframing of which carries a body and is mounted by means of suitable side and center bearings on a pair of conventional trucks, each including side frames and bolsters and at least a pair of wheeled axles journalled in the side frames of each truck.

On one end of the underframing, above one of the trucks, is a turned table like supporting plate so mounted through suitable bearings on the underframing as to turn relatively thereto with said one of the trucks, there being suitable means carried by that truck and connected to said plate so as to cause the same to turn with the truck.

Mounted on the turn table like plate is an assembly which includes more than one power generating plant, such as internal combustion engines and an associated power transmitting speed changing forward and reverse mechanism which is so connected with the generating plants as to be driven by any one of said plants. The mechanism above mentioned, while including shiftable gearing for use in either the forward or the reverse movement of the car, is predominantly of the sprocket and replaceable link chain type so that repairs may be made more quickly and thus cut down operational delay.

This mechanism includes a shaft that may be driven from transmitting mechanism in either of twoforward running speeds or in either of two working speeds, slower than the running speeds and which shaft may be driven in either of two speeds in reverse. This shaft which is the driven shaft of the transmitting mechanism, extends parallel with the axles of the truck therebeneath, and preferably functions through suitable sprockets thereon and on said axles and chains to drive both axles from the shaft.

Referring now in detail to the construction of the conventional structure of a railway car to which the improved traction means as herein illustrated has been applied, said car comprises an underframe 20 (see Fig. l) and front and rear trucks 21, only one of which need be and is illustrated herein. Said underframe includes a center sill 22 and side sills 23 and an end sill 24 which appears in Figs. 3 and 4. The center and side sills are connected by transverse body bolsters 25, one located in the center line of each truck transversely of the car.

The truck 21 includes side frames 26 and a bolster 27, the latter normally being arranged in the vertical plane ofthe body bolster 25 and operatively connected thereto by a center bearing 28 and engaged at its ends upon supporting springs 29 carried by the side frames of the truck. The truck also includes front and rear axles SAL-31 journalled in the usual boxes of the side frames,

each axle being provided with a pair of flanged wheels 3:2--33 for rolling engagement upon the rails 34 of a railway track.

Spaced a suitable distance above one end of the under frame and located over the truck 21 associated with said end of the under frame, isa plate like platform 35 through which a part of the center bearing 28 passes and about which said platform may turn as an axis relative to the 'under'frame. This end of the under frame includes diagonal racing 36 which best appears in Fig. 4 and suitably distributed-upon said bracing are antifriction bearings 37 upon which marginal parts of the platform engage for support. Thus, the platform 35 may turn relatively to the under-framing about the axis of the center bearing 28.

top surface of the truck side frame on the same side of the car. The top end of the uprights are formed as horizontally arranged arms 43 that face toward each other in a plane above the top surface of the body bolster, these arms being turned upwardly and engaged with each other to form a post 44.

The post of each yoke extends upwardly through an associated opening 45 (see Figs. 3 and 4) in the associated side margins of the platform and at the front and rear of each opening are upright studs 46 which carry screws 47 for engagement with opposite sides of the associated post 44. By means of said studs and screws, the platform 35 is locked to both yokes and the truck side frames which carry the same, with each yoke straddling the associated end of the body bolster 25, as best appears in Fig. 1. Also by means of said studs and screws certain dimensional tolerances in assembly of the parts mentioned may be accommodated. With the structure described, it is obvious that the platform 35 may turn --with the truck relative to the under frame, within the limits of the spaces between the uprights 41 of the yokes 40 and the front and rear faces of the bolster 25.

Extending across the platform 35 and arranged to the front and the rear of the center line of body and truck bolsters 25 and 27, when they are in alinement, are longitudinally spaced pairs of front and rear engine bed supporting beams 5051, the beams of each pair being constituted by pairs of spaced channels, each resting on one flange thereof on the platform, as best appears in Figs. 1 and 5.

Engaged on one end of the beams of each pair is a power generating unit 5253 preferably in the form of multi-cylinder internal engines, said engines having a suitable space therebetween. Each engine is provided with a built in reduction gear 54, each gear including a throw out clutch (not shown) that may be manipulated by a manually operable shift lever 55. Each gear also includes a power take off shaft 56, the shafts of both engines being driven in the same direction.

In one position of the lever 55, for either engine, its shaft 56 is driven at the desired reduced speed and in the other position of the lever for the same engine the shaft 56 is disconnected from its gear and may thus run free. At this time, it is desired to point out that only one engine is put in operation at a time, the other engine being held idle or in reserve. Thus should there be a failure of the running engine, its gear 54 may be released from its shaft so that the latter may turn free of its gear and the other engine can then start in its running cycle. Therefore, repairs, adjustments, etc. may be carried out'to correct the failure of the inoperative engine, while the other engine is running and carrying the operation load, which is the movement of the car as a whole along the track; With the use of two engines as described, idle lay-up time need not occur in car opera- 4 tion, which is particularly important in work equipment of the ballast conditioning type. Fixed on that side of each shaft 56, facing said other side of the car, are pairs of dual sprocket wheels 57, the purpose of which will appear later.

A transmission mechanism is disposed in the space between the two engines so as to be driven by either engine to provide traction for the car at speeds in one direction when the car is in transport to a place of operation and also at another and lower speed, when it is in operation, as well as for a drive of the car in reverse. This transmission is indicated as a whole at 60 in Fig. 2. It includes a lower driven shaft 61, a constantly driven upper shaft 62 and upper and lowercounter shafts 63 and 64 respectively. All of said shafts are horizontally disposed. They also extend transversely of the car and all are located in the same vertical plane midway between the two engines, as best appears in Figs. 1 and 2.

Rising from the platform 35 in the above mentioned plane is a fabricated frame work which includes laterally spaced uprights 65, 66, 67, 68 and 69 respectively and horizontal members 70, 71, 72, 73 and 74 respectively and which best appear in Fig. 2.

A pair of relatively large dual sprocket wheels 75 is fixed to that part of the shaft 62 between the uprights 6869 and a pair of relatively small sprocket pinions 7676 is journalled on the shaft 64 between said uprights. These pinions may be clutched to said shaft in a manner to appear later. Pairs of sprocket chains 78 are trained over the tops of the pairs of dual sprocket wheels 75-76 and under the bottoms of the pairs of dual sprocket wheels 57 as best indicated by the relatively heavy dash and dot lines in Fig. 7. The sprocket chains are of the type including pairs of overlapping side links, operatively pivotally connected together by pins upon which rollers are journalled, the pins being removable for servicing the individual chain in case of breakage of any of the parts there. Chains of this type are conventional and it is therefore not thought necessary to illustrate and describe them in further detail. With said chains trained about the sprocket wheels as mentioned, they, along with the pairs of dual sprocket wheels 75--57, are always driven in the same direction as the shafts 5656 regardless of which power engine 52-53 is in operation.

' Fixed to the shaft 63 between the uprights 6768 is a relatively large diameter spur gear 80 and also fixed to said shaft between the uprights 6667 is a pair of dual sprocket pinions 81. Loose on the shaft 64 between the last mentioned uprights is a pair of dual sprocket wheels 82 driven from the pinions 81 by means of pairs of dual sprocket chains 83, as best indicated by the relatively heavy dotted lines appearing in Fig. 1. With this arrangement of parts, the shafts 63-64, when the sprockets 82 are clutched to the shaft 64 as will appear later, are driven in the same direction.

Rockably mounted on the shaft 62 between the uprights 6768 is a frame 85 having front and rear ends 8687 and which frame best appears in Fig. 6. The rear end of said frame is provided with a rearwardly extending lever 88 by which said frame may be manually rocked, between predetermined limits, on the shaft 62. The extremity of said lever slides in suitable means 89 (see Fig. 1) and by which said lever and its frame may be releasably locked in any one of three positions, corresponding to neutral, high, and low speeds for the shaft 62.

Journalled on said shaft between the front and rear plates of the frame 85 is a gear pinion 90 having a clutch face 91 (see Fig. 2) at one end with which a clutch member 92 may be engaged and disengaged. This clutch member has a longitudinally shiftable splined engagement on the shaft 62. By means of suitable shift lever and linkage 93 the clutch member 92 may be shifted in one direction into engagement with the clutch face of the pinion 90 to connect the same to the shaft. When said clutch member is shifted in the other direction into the position shown in Fig. 2, the pinion is free to turn on said shaft, which would be the neutral position for the gearing within the frame and now about to be described.

95 and 96 indicate stub shafts which are journalled in the ends 86-87 of the frame 85. Fixed to the shaft 95 is a relatively large gear 97 and a smaller pinion 98, which is arranged in the plane of the gear 80 before mentioned. Fixed to the shaft 96 is a smaller size gear 99, arranged in the plane of the gear 97 and a pinion 100 also arranged in the plane of the gear 80. The gears 97-99 have a constant mesh engagement with the pinion 90 and are driven in the same direction in which said pinion is when clutched to the shaft 62. When the pinion 90 is so clutched to the shaft, and the frame 85 is rocked in one direction, the pinion 100 is engaged with the gear 80 and drives the same at a relatively high speed. When the frame 85 is rocked in the other direction, the pinion 100 is disengaged from the gear 80 and the pinion 98 is engaged therewith and drives the same at a lower speed.

It will be obvious from the structure before described that the shaft 64 may be connected to the shaft 62 so as to be driven at either a relatively high or a relatively low speed, both in the same direction, or it may be disconnected from said shaft 62 so as to remain static when the shaft 62 is being driven and neither pinion 98-100 is engaged with the gear 80.

Mounted on the shaft 64 between the uprights 67--68 is a double ended longitudinally shiftable means that includes clutch members 105-106 respectively, (see Fig. 2) having a splined engagement with said shaft. Said means when shifted in one direction engages its clutch member 105 with a complemental face on one of the dual sprockets 82 to connect the shaft 64 to the dual sprocket 82 and when shifted in the other direction engages its clutch member 106 with a complemental face on one of the sprocket pinions 76. When the pinions 76 are connected to the shaft, said shaft is driven in one direction at a relatively high speed. When the sprockets 82 are connected to said shaft, it is driven in either of two lower speeds, depending on the position of the frame 85 on the shaft 62, and in the opposite direction.

Also on the shaft 64 between the uprights 6566 there is mounted a double face clutch member 110 which has a splined connection therewith. Associated with said clutch member is suitable lever and linkage mechanism 111 that may be actuated from a position adjacent the operating end of the lever 88 and whereby the clutch member may be shifted longitudinally of the shaft in either direction. Loose on said shaft at one end of said clutch member is a spur pinion 112 having a clutch face 113 at one end for operative engagement by the clutch member 110 when the latter has been shifted to the left, viewed as in Fig. 2. Also loose on said shaft, at the other end of the clutch member is a pair of dual sprocket pinions 114 having a clutch face at one end for operative engagement by the clutch member 110 when the latter has been shifted to the right, viewed as in said Fig. 2'.

A second spur pinion 115 is fixed to the shaft 61 directly below and in line with the pinion 112. A pair of pinions 116 is also fixed to this shaft below and in line with the pinions 114 before mentioned. Suitable pairs of sprocket chains 117 are trained about the pairs of dual sprocket pinions 114 and 116 to afford a driving connection therebetween. When the sprocket pinions 114 are clutched to the shaft 64, the sprocket pinions (and shaft 61) are driven in the same direction as the shaft 64. When the gear pinion 112 is clutched to the shaft the pinion 115 (and shaft 61) are driven in the other direction.

The shaft 61, which is the main drive shaft of the structure thus far described, may thus be driven at different speeds and in different directions. This shaft has fixed to it, between the pinion 115 and the upright 66, a pair of sprocket pinions 120, and said shaft also has fixed thereto, between the uprights 6768, a second pair of sprocket pinions 121, said sets of pinions best appearing in Fig. 2.

On each of the axles 30-31 are pairs of sprockets 122 and 123 respectively, one pair of such sprockets being arranged in line with the pinions 120 and the other pair of sprockets being arranged in line with the pinions 121. The sprockets 122-J23 are of the so-called split type and are made in segments which may be applied to the respective axle from the sides thereof and then bolted and otherwise fixed to the respective axles. Thus breakage of either sprocket may be quickly repaired without requiring the removal of any wheel from either axle.

Pairs of sprocket chains 124125 drive the sprockets 122-423 from the pinions 120121, these chains being of the link pin and roller type before mentioned. Thus breakage of a chain may be quickly and easily repaired.

As is obvious from Fig. 1, these chains 124-125 pass through the platform like plate 35 and through parts of the inner of the engine bed supporting beams -5l. To accommodate such passage of the chains, suitable openings 126127 are provided in the plate 35 and in said beams, which openings best appear in Fig. 3.

To take up such slack as may develop in the chains (124-425) of either pair, I provide automatically acting take-up mechanism for each pair of chains, said mechanism for one pair of said chains best appearing in Fig. 5. Each said mechanism is mounted on the inner beam of each pair and faces the inner beam of the other pair, as best appears in Fig. 5. Each mechanism includes a pair of laterally spaced lever arms 130, which are pivotally mounted at one end on a pin 131 carried by the inner beam of each pair of such beams. The other end of each pair of levers is connected by a web 132, which engages upon the top end of a coil spring 133, the bottom end of which rests upon the plate 35. A retaining bolt 134 passes upwardly through said plate, spring and web and there receives a nut 134a which limits the upward swing of the lever under the action of the spring 133.

Extending between the sides of each lever arm 130 is a shaft 135 and journalled on said shaft is a dual sprocket pinion 136 which is engaged with links of the associated pair of chains 12. -125. The spring 133 exerts an upward pressure on the free end of the lever 130 and causes the dual pinions 136 carried thereby to exert a pressure against the associated chain to keep the same taut and to take up slack therein.

In the operation of the structure above described, after the reduction gear 54 of the non-running engine has been made inoperative through its lever and the reduction gear 54 of the running engine has been made operative through its lever 55, it is obvious that the sprockets 76 will be driven and this in the same direction.

Now assume it is desired to make a run, as for example to the place of operation of the car. including the clutch members 106 is shifted to the left (in Fig. 2) so as to connect the sprockets 76 to said shaft 64 which is now being driven.

With the clutch'110 in engagement with the sprockets 114, said sprockets through the chains 117 will drive the sprockets 116 on the shaft 61, which will then be driven. As the shaft 61 is being so driven, power is transmitted through the sprockets 120121 and chains 124-125 to the sprockets 122 and 123 on the axle.

When the clutch member is engaged with the gear 112 it is disconnected from the pinions 114 and then the gear 112 through the associated gear will drive the shaft 61 in the other or reverse direction and this through the pinions 121, chains 124, will drive the sprockets 122-123 on the axles in the other direction.

When the clutch members 105-106 above mentioned are set for a running position, then the clutch member 92 is in a position disengaged from the pinion 90.

When the car reaches its place of operation and such.

The clutch means 7 operations are to be initiated its -working speed should be much lowerthan its running speed.

When a forward working speed is desired, the clutch means including the clutch members 105106 is moved to the right in said Fig. 2 so that the sprockets 82 are connected ,to the ,shaft 64 and-thesprockets 76 are disconnected therefrom. The clutch means 92 is then shifted to the left in 2 to engage .the gear 90 and connect it to the shaft 62 so as to be driven thereby.

When said gear 90 is being so driven, it will drive the gears 97 and 9,9 with which it is in mesh and these in turn will drive the pinions 98 and 100. By rocking the frame 85 through its lever 88, either of the pinions 10098 may be caused to engage the gear 80 to afford either of two speedsfor the shaft 63 upon which said gear is fixed. When the pinion 100 engages said gear it afiords a higher speedfor the drive of the shaft 63 than when the pinion 98 is. engaged with said gear.

The drive then is through the sprockets 81, chains 83 and'sprockets 82 to the shaft 64 assuming, of course, that the clutch member 105 is engaged with the sprockets 82.

By means of the clutch 110, either a forward or reverse drive is afforded for the main drive shaft 61 in either of the twoworking speeds, the drive from said shaft to the axle being as before described.

Thus the structure described affords a relatively high running speed, either in forward or reverse at a selected R. P. M. of the running engine and it affords either of two working speeds in forward or reverse at said R. P. M. of the running engine. These speeds of course may be varied within certain limits by changing such R. P. M. of said engine.

Thus the structure described has great flexibility of operation and admirably meets the requirements for different running and working speeds either in forward or reverse. Also, the apparatus will function just as efficiently at switches, curves and tangents of a track as well as in straight away track.

The apparatus described is one which has great flexi-.

bility as tospeeds of operation, i. e. at several relatively high speeds for non-working travel along the track, and at several relatively slow speeds for doing extremely heavy work met with at times, such for instance as when furnishing the motivepower for large ballast conditioning equipment. At the same time all of the mechanism which is most likely to-become broken:or damaged when working is of such order that it can be quickly and easily repaired at the point of operation, thus conserving valuable time which would otherwise prevent continued operation. Such continuedroperation is of prime importance in ballast conditioning work "because in many sections of the country there are many months of the year in which it is not possible to work. Furthermore, at times the equipment is working .on sections of the track remote from repair shops.

I claim as my invention:

1. A railway car embodying therein framing structure, a truck supporting said framing structure and including axles having flanged wheels fixed to rotate therewith, said wheels being adapted to ride upon the rails of a railway track, means forming a center bearing connection between the truck and framing structure whereby the truck is turned about the axis of said center bearing responsive to engagemento f the flanges ,of said wheels with curves in the rails, a power means support mounted on said framing structure over said truck for turning movement about the axis of said center bearing and relative to the framing structure, means for propelling the car along the rails including power means mounted on said support for movement therewith,.power transmitting means connecting said power means and at least one of said 'axles for causing rotation of the axle and wheels connected thereto, and means interconnecting said power means support and said truck whereby any turning movement of said truck on said center bearing, due to movement of the car along the rails, causes like turning movement of said power means support.

2. The combination set forth in claim-1 in which the power transmitting means comprises sprocketsfixed to the power means and axle respectively and chain means trained about said sprockets.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the truck comprises side frames and the means interconnecting the power means support and truck for turning movement comprises means secured to and upstanding from each truck side frame and connected to laterally spaced parts of saidpower means support.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the power means includes a plurality of power plants and transmission means for connecting any one of said power plants to the car axlefor propelling the car.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the means interconnecting the power means support and truck includes means for effecting adjustment between the truck and power-means support.

6. A railway car embodying therein framing structure,- a truck suppo ing-said framing structure and including a plurality of axles-having flanged Wheels fixed to rotate therewith, said wheels being adapted to ride upon the rails of a railway track, means forming a center bearing connection between the truck and framing structure whereby the truck is turned about the axis of said center bearing responsive to engagement of the flanges of said wheels with curves in the rails, a power means support mounted on said framing structure over said truck for turning movement about the axis of said center bearing and relative to the framing structure, means for propelling the car along the rails including power means mounted on said support for movement therewith, power transmitting means connecting said power means and said plurality of axles for causing rotation of the axles and wheels connected thereto, and means interconnecting said power means support and said truck whereby any turning movement of said truck on said center bearing, due to movement of the car along the rails, causes like turning movement of said power means support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 792,272 Knox June 13, 1905 1,280,238 King et al. Oct. 1, 1918 1,337,914 Hyden Apr. 20, 1920 1,630,377 Deucher May 31, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 334,067 Germany Mar. 7, 1921 

